Filing-cabinet drawer



April 15, 1930. P. A. WETZEL FIILING CABINET DRAWER Filed Dec. 18, 1926 Patented Apr. 15, 1930 PATENT OFFICE PETER A. WETZEL, or SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS FILING-CABINET DRAWER 1 Application filed December;18,p1926. Serial no. 155,582.,

The presentinvention relates generally to drawers for filing cabinets. More particularly the invention relates to that type of filing drawer which comprises a drop front and embodies laterallyprojecting runners at the side margins of the bottom for sliding engagement with grooves in the sides of a cabinet, J

One object of the invention is to provide a filing drawer of the aforementioned type in which the bottom,'runners and sides are integral with each other and are formed from a single plate of sheet metal.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 1 vide a drop front filing drawer which is generally of new and improved construction, consists of but a small number of parts and may be manufactured at a comparatively low.

cost.

Other objects of the invention and thevarious advantages and characteristics of the present drawer constructionwill be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description. i

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularlydefined by'the claims atthe conclusion hereof. In the drawingswhich accompanies this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding.

parts throughout, the several views: Fig. 1

is a perspective view of a filing cabinet drawer embodying one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the sheet metal plate from which the bottom, back, sides and runners of the drawer are formed. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional viewthrough one side of the drawer. Figs. 1 and 5 are sectionssimilar to- Fig. 3, showing modified forms of runners. i The drop front drawer which forms the subject matter of the invention is adapted for use inconnection with a filing cabinet comprising vertical side walls which have in their inner faces horizontal grooves for the drawer-runners ception of thedrop front, is formed from a sheet metal plate 12 which comprises a central member :13, adaptedto form the bottom The drawer, with the ex of the drawer; a member. 14 at the rear of member 13 and adapted to be bent upwardly to formthe back;members 15 at the sides of member 13 and adapted tobe bent as herein after described to formrunners; and memhere 16 at the outer ends of members 15 and adapted to be bent upwardly to form the sides.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, members 15 are bent to form run: ners, each of whichcomprises a horizontal wall 17 which is connected to and extends outwardly from and-in the same plane as the bottom; a vertical wall 18fextending upwardly from the outer margin of wall 17 a horizontal wall 19 extending inwardly from the upper margin of wall 18 and terminating adjacent the side; a horizontal wall 20 extendingoutwardly from the side and underlying wall 19; a vertical wall 21 extendingdownwardly from the outer margin. of wall 20 and contiguous to wall 18; and a wall 22 extend ing inwardly from the lower margin of wall 20 and overlying wall 17. Walls 18 and 21 space apart walls 17'and 19, and walls 22 and 20 respectively, so that the runners are hollow. A characteristic of this construction, is that the hollow runners are. formed integrally with the contiguous margins of the sides and bottom. The sides extend upwardly from the inner margins of the runner walls 22 and their lower ends'abut against the bottom, as at 23, so as to close the sides of the runners and preclude any papers or sheets in the drawer from slipping between walls 1 7 and 22. Flanges 24: are formed on the rear ends of the sides. These flanges are bent inwardly and are spotwelded or soldered to the end margins of the back so as to connect rigidly the back and sides. The upper margins of the sides and back are doubledover, as at 25, for reinforcing purposes and to prevent injury to the hands in handling.

The drop front comprises a front member 26 which is formed of steelor any other suitable material, and brackets 27 which are secured to the outer ends of member 26 and extend rearwardly therefrom. Members 15 are cut away, as at 29, so that the runners Ice terminate adjacent the rear ends of the brackets, and are transversely slit, as at 30, to form flanges 31 and 32 on the lower margins of the sides and the outer margins of the bottom respectively. These flanges are bent outwardly and upwardly and are welded together and .to the sides, so as to connect rigidly the front ends of the sides to the bottom and to strengthen the drawer. The upper edges of flanges 31 and 32 are flush with the horizontal runner-walls 19 to permit the flanges to slide in the cabinet-grooves. Rivets 27 extend through the outer ends of the brackets 27, the flanges 31 and 32, and the sides to con nect pivotally the drop front to the drawer. The lower margins of brackets 27 have outwardly extending flanges 27 which, when the drawer is in the cabinet, rest in the grooves and en port the drop front.

In ig. 4, member is shown as being bent to 'form a runner which comprises a horizontal wall 33 extending outwardly from and in the same plane as the bottom; a vertical wall 34 extending upwardly from the outer margin of wall-33 a horizontal wall 35 extending inwardly from the upper margins of wall 34 and terminating adjacent the outer face of the side; a vertical wall 36 extending downwardly from the inner margin of wall 35 and lapping and joining the lower margin of the side. 7

In Fig. 5, member 15 is shown as being bent to form a runner which comprises a vertical wall 37 extending upwardly from .the

outer margin of the bottom; a vertical wall 38 contiguous to wall 37 and extending from the upper margin thereof to the outer margin of the bottom; a horizontal wall 39 extending outwardly from the lower margin of wall 38;

a vertical wall 40 extending upwardly from the outer margin of wall 39; and a horizontal wall 41 extending inwardly from the upper margin of wall 40 and connected to the side. The lower margin of the side abuts against the upper margins of walls 37 and 38, to exclude the papers in thedrawer from the interior of the runner.

The drop front filing drawer which is exhibited herein consists of but a small number of parts and may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost by virtue of the fact that the bottom, runners and sides are formed from a single piece of sheet metal.

The invention is not to be understood as re stricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what .Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters the bottom and adapted to slide longitudinally in the grooves in the cabinet-sides, the sides, bottom and runners of the drawer being formed integrally with each other and bent from a single plate of sheet metal, the drawersides being positioned so that the lower marginal parts-thereof abut against the .bottom to prevent access to the runners from the interior of the drawer, and a drop front provided with rearwardly extending brackets pivotally connected to said drawer-sides, the plate from which the sides, bottom and runners are formed being cut away so that the front ends of the runners terminate adjacent the rear ends of the brackets to permit the front to swing freely into and out'of its operative position.

2. A filing cabinet drawer comprising a single plate of sheet metal bent to form integral sides, a bottom and runners at thereontiguous margins of said sides and bottom, a drop front provided with rearwardl-y-extending brackets, flanges adjacent the brackets for connecting the front ends "of the sides to the bottom, and pivots extending through said brackets and the flanges.

3. A filing cabinet drawer comprising a single plate of sheet metal bent to form integral sides, abottom and runners .at the contiguous margins of said sides and bottom, .a drop front provided with rearwardly extending brackets, said plate being cut away-so that the front ends of the runners terminate adjacent the rear ends of the brackets, flanges adjacent the cutaway portions for connecting the front ends of the sides to the bottom, and pivots between the brackets and the flanges.

4-. A filing drawer for .a cabinet having grooves in the sides thereof, said drawercomprising a .pair of sides, a bottom and runners projecting laterally from the side margins of the bottom and adapted to slide longitudinally in the grooves in the cabinet-;sides, the sides, bottom and runners-of the-drawerbeing formed integrally with each other and bent from a single plate of sheet metal, anda drop front provided with rearwardly extending brackets pivotally connected to said drawersides, the plate from which the sides, bottom and. runners are formed being cut away so that the front ends of the runners terminate adjacent the rear ends of the brackets to permit the front to swing freely into and out of its operative position.

5. A filing drawer for a cabinet having grooves in the sides thereof, said drawer comprising a pair of sides, a bottomand runners projecting laterally from the side margins of the bottom and adapted to slide longitudinally in the grooves in the cabinet-sides, the sides, bottom and runners of the drawer being formed integrally with each otherand bent from a single plate of-sheet metal, and a drop front provided with rea'rwardly extending brackets pivotally connected to said drawer-sides, the plate from which the sides, bottom and runners are formed being cut away so that the front ends of the runners terminate adjacent the rear ends of the brackets, and embodying flanges adjacent the cut away portions for securing the front ends of the sides to the bottom.

Signed at Springfield, Illinois, this 13th day of November, 1926.

PETER A. WETZEL. 

